Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
TOBIAS BARRETT
I sit on the church pew next to Skyler and Kiki. My brothers take up the rest of the row. Kiki spent yesterday at Ellie’s house quilting, and I got the sense, avoiding me, which is probably for the best. I’ve proven to myself that I can’t be around her without wanting to cross the line. Without wanting to pull her into my arms and show her my true feelings.
I try to listen to what the pastor is saying, but it’s difficult for me to concentrate. Kiki’s wearing the purple dress I bought her, and it hugs her in all the right places. She looks stunning in it.
Skyler scoots closer and Kiki puts her arm around her. As Skyler looks up at Kiki, I see how much adoration she has for her, and it melts my heart. It wouldn’t just break my heart if Kiki left. It would shatter Skyler.
The sermon ends, and I stand up taking Skyler’s hand. “Can I go get a doughnut?” she asks. I nod my assent.
“I can take her down.” Kiki holds out her hand, and Skyler grabs it but doesn’t let go of mine.
“Come on, Daddy. Let’s go together.”
I can’t resist her request, and we all descend the stairs. Ellie comes up to us, beaming. “Miss Kiki, that dress looks amazing on you.”
“Thank you.” Kiki blushes and curls her hair behind her ear. She’s not covering her tattoo anymore, and I’m glad. I know it means a lot to her, and if anyone gave her any guff over it, I’d pound them into the ground.
Skyler picks a doughnut from the table, and I snatch a cup of coffee. “How is the publicity going for that famous artist?”
Ellie fans her face. “I can’t believe it’s all coming together. We’re getting great results from our marketing. The class is already full, and we’ve started a waiting list. We have two new artists willing to showcase their art, and Mackenzie and Dustin agreed to sign autographs after her class.”
“That’s great.” I take a sip of my coffee.
“I hope everything goes well for the festival.” Kiki shifts and doesn’t meet my gaze.
The way she says it spreads panic through my chest, as if she knows she’ll be gone by then. “You’ll be there, right?” I blurt out.
Ellie takes Kiki’s arm. “Of course she’ll be there. I need help setting up. I don’t trust anyone else. Would you come early and help me?”
Kiki looks taken aback. “Me?”
“I need you.”
Kiki hugs her arms. “All right. I can come early and help.”
Ellie pulls out her phone. “You must give me your new number. Tobias told me you got a phone.”
As Kiki exchanges numbers with Ellie, I watch Skyler devour her doughnut, then run off to play with another little girl from the congregation. I keep an eye on them as they play by a stack of chairs.
Josephine walks over to us. “Look at you two. You match.” She shoves Kiki next to me, knocking me off balance. I put my arm around Kiki to keep us upright.
“What do you mean?” Kiki says.
“Look.” Josephine points between my tie and Kiki’s dress. They are the same shade of purple.
Kiki laughs. “I guess we do match.”
“Smile. I want a picture of you two. You’re just so adorable.” Josephine takes out her phone and holds it up.
Kiki shakes her head and puts her hand out. “No, thank you. I don’t ever look good in pictures.”
“I won’t post it on the internet.” Josephine fiddles with her phone.
“I’d rather not be in a picture,” Kiki says, but Skyler runs up to us, her mouth covered in doughnut powder.
“Can I be in the picture, too?”
Kiki smiles. “You have powdered doughnut face.”
Skyler giggles and grabs a napkin off the table. She wipes at her lips. “Now? Can I be in the picture?”
Kiki sighs. “I guess so.” She picks Skyler up.
“Scoot together,” Josephine says, motioning to me. “You’re not strangers.”
I place my arm back around Kiki, and it dawns on me that we’re going to look like a family in the photo. This makes my throat close. Courtney and I never had the kind of closeness that I’ve found with Kiki. So, why does she insist on pulling away from me?
After Josephine snaps a few pictures, she stands back and smiles. “I’ll send these to you.”
“Thanks, Josephine. We’d better get going.” I steer Kiki and Skyler toward the stairs.
“What’s the plan for this afternoon?” Kiki asks me after we’re in the parking lot.
“No plans. I’m just afraid if we don’t leave now, Skyler will eat all the doughnuts and won’t have any room for sandwiches.”
“Daddy!” Skyler says, giggling. “I won’t eat them all.”
My phone chimes, and I see it’s Josephine sending me the photo. I slip my phone into my pocket and open the car door for Skyler. She climbs into her car seat.
“Can we swim after lunch? Please?” Skyler holds her hands in a pleading fashion.
Kiki climbs in the car. “I can swim with you.”
“I want Daddy to swim with us, too.” She turns to me. “Please, Daddy?”
“Why don’t we visit Violet first, then we can swim. Is that okay?”
“Yay!” Skyler yells. “I want to see Violet.”
I turn to Kiki. “Would you like to come?”
“Sure. Can we go get some flowers for her?” she asks.
“That’s a great idea,” I say.
We change out of our church clothes, and I make us a quick lunch before we head over to the florist shop. Kiki walks to the corner and picks up a plant. “African Violets. This is perfect.”
I remember something Violet once said to me and shake my head. “She has always complained that any time she gets flowers, it’s violets. Her favorite are roses, and she never gets them.”
Kiki sets the plant back down. “I’m so glad you said something. Let’s get roses, then.”
We pick out a vase, and the florist fills it with red and white roses and baby’s breath. Skyler amuses herself by smelling the flowers that are at her level as we wait for the florist to prepare the arrangement.
We get to the hospital by two-thirty in the afternoon. We enter and the smell of antiseptic and alcohol fills my nose. I grab Skyler’s hand as we walk down the corridor.
I approach the front desk. “We’re here to visit Violet Williams.”
The woman, dressed in scrubs and with a severe bun, types on her computer. “Room 109.” She points. “Down that hallway.”
“Thanks.” We follow her directions. The door is open to Violet’s room, and we stop just outside. The curtain is pulled to hide her bed from the hallway, so I clear my throat. “Violet? Can we come in?”
“Is that you, Tobias? Come on in.”
We step into the room and walk around the curtain. Violet is in the hospital bed, sitting up, watching television. She picks up the remote and clicks it off. Her gaze brightens as she sees the roses. “You remembered.”
I set the vase on the table next to her. She points around the room. “As always, everyone has brought me violets. I’m so happy to get roses!” She leans over and smells them.
Skyler runs to her. “Violet. I missed you so much.” She bursts into tears.
Violet pats Skyler’s cheek. “Sweetheart. It’s okay. I’m healing. The doctors say I can probably be back with you in a month.”
Kiki comforts Skyler, and I step forward to take Violet’s hand. “Don’t push yourself. You’re welcome to come back anytime, but I want you to rest and heal.”
“Honestly, I don’t know what all the fuss is about. I’m fine. The doctors are just being cautious. I got the help I needed right away. It could have been much worse.” She looks at Kiki. “Thank you, darlin’.”
Kiki smooths down Skyler’s hair. “I’m glad you’re all right.”
We stay and chat with Violet for a few more minutes before she starts to look tired. “We’d better go,” I say, taking Skyler’s hand.
“Thank you for visiting me.” Violet pulls her sheet up. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Bye,” Skyler says as we leave.
“Take care,” I say.
We get in the car and Skyler claps her hands. “Time to swim now, right?”
“Yes. We can swim now.” I pull out of the hospital parking lot.
We get home and put on our swimsuits. Skyler drags us down the hill in the back yard. We walk across the sand toward the shoreline. A wave gathers in the distance. Our feet make impressions in the wet sand. Skyler squeals as the water hits her legs.
“Daddy, carry me deeper.” Skyler lifts up her arms to me, and I pick her up. She throws her arms around my neck and clings to me.
Kiki and I walk to where the water is chest deep. Skyler giggles as the waves come and lift us up in the water. Her giggles make Kiki and I laugh.
Kiki grins at me. “That’s adorable.”
The way her eyes crinkle when she laughs, and her cute smile, makes me want to tell her she’s adorable too, but I don’t. I keep that thought to myself.
I try to think of something to distract me. “How did the quilting go yesterday?”
“It went well. We should be able to finish everything this Thursday.”
“You’re going back?” I’d gotten used to our evenings together. Yesterday she stayed at Ellie’s until late so we didn’t get to talk, and it made me grumpy.
“You should come with me and help.” She grins at me, and I can’t quite tell if she’s joking or not.
“I think I’d do more harm than good.” The words slip out of my mouth, and I instantly regret them. I want to spend more time with Kiki. Why did I shoot it down?
“Aw, come on. It’s just making little stitches. It’s not hard. I could show you how to do it.” She touches my arm, and I freeze. She’s barely touched me since the kiss. My brain tries to come up with a verbal response, which is really hard to do as my heart is beating so fast.
“Okay. I’ll help.”
Kiki runs her hand down my arm and tingles erupt over my skin. My heart soars. I feel like a new person. Like I just ran a marathon, but it felt great doing it. The last time I felt this way I was falling in love. The thought startles me and I jerk back. My chest constricts and a lump forms in my throat.
I can’t fall in love with Kiki. She’s made it clear that she doesn’t want a relationship. If I allow myself to fall for her, I’ll just end up with my heart dashed to a thousand pieces.